Ireland’s new passenger car sales grew for the first time this year in September by 66pc to 5,685 units from 3,418 units in the same month year prior, according to data provided by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).
In the Jan-Sep period, however, Ireland’s new passenger car sales stood at 84,535 units, down by 26pc as compared to 113,945 units in the prior-year period. The organization said that the hike in registrations in September could be due to the market catching up from the last eight months of declining sales.
Irish new light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations in September also grew by 67pc to 2,240 units from 1,338 units in the same month last year. In Jan-Sep, Ireland’s LCV sales decreased by 19pc to 18,930 units from 23,245 units in the prior-year period.
Ireland’s new heavy commercial vehicle (HCV) registrations in September stood at 158 units, up by 26.40pc from 125 units in the same month year prior, while HCV sales in the January-September period dropped by 13.51pc to 1,690 units as compared to 1,954 units during the prior-year period.
Irish new bus and coach registrations in September declined by 78.95pc to 4 units from 19 units year prior, while plummeted by 73.48pc in the Jan-Sep period to 105 units as compared to 396 units in the same period last year.
From January 2021 a new taxation system WLTP based on a new stricter emissions testing regime will come to effect in Ireland. The increase in Vehicle Registration Tax (VTR) would have dire consequences for the auto sector, which is already struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit, the organization said. SIMI reiterated the government to reduce the Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) in the upcoming budget session.